NZXT releases new fan controller, variable-speed liquid coolers

Today at Computex, NZXT introduced its latest fan controller, the Grid+, and a pair of new Kraken liquid-cooling systems. All three products integrate with the company's CAM system management software.

The GRID+ fan controller has headers for up to six fans, with 30 watts of total power available. Fan control is managed through the aforementioned CAM software over a USB connection. With dimensions of 2" x 2" x 0.7", the controller should fit into most cases easily. NZXT doesn't appear to provide any mounting hardware, though, so you might have to improvise with Velcro or double-sided tape to secure it.

The X41 and X61 coolers use 140-mm and 280-mm radiators, respectively, and NZXT claims they're the first of their kind to use variable-speed pump technology. Being able to alter both pump and fan speeds should allow for fine-grained tuning of cooling performance and noise. Curiously, the Krakens aren't fully integrated into the CAM software—while CAM will provide data logging, the company claims that you'll still need to install a separate Kraken utility to manage fan and pump speeds.

Introduced last month, the CAM utility provides control over compatible NZXT hardware from Windows. It also logs fan speeds, CPU and GPU temperatures, network activity, and hard-disk I/O. The company claims CAM can use this data to generate proactive notifications before a serious problem arises, such as a hard-drive failure. CAM also provides cloud integration, allowing you to monitor and adjust compatible hardware remotely using a browser or your mobile phone.

NZXT is offering the GRID+, Kraken X41, and X61 for pre-order today from its online store. Prices are $29.99 for the GRID+, $109.99 for the Kraken X41, and $139.99 for the Kraken X61.